


thirteen roses

by vaahtokarkki



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, please consider: them, rose symbolism if you squint, uhhhh. my friend said this is like a romcom so there's that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 12:25:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16853938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vaahtokarkki/pseuds/vaahtokarkki
Summary: Can it be called asecretadmirer, when everyone around Kaoru seems to know who it is?





	thirteen roses

**Author's Note:**

> hi what's up it's wabby and I'm here to launch a brand new ship tag
> 
> I hope you've all been good! I'm in the middle of some things, but this is something I really wanted to get out, so I hope you enjoy it!

It begins somewhere in early August, as innocently as if it could be anyone. A single lavender rose, carefully hidden inside Kaoru’s locker, and for just a moment he wonders if someone put it in the wrong locker. It’s beautiful, though, clearly chosen with consideration, so Kaoru takes it home and sticks it in a vase. It would be a shame to waste a pretty flower like this, when he doesn’t know who it was intended to.

 

Kaoru forgets about the rose, even though it stays in his room, but two days later, another lavender rose appears on his desk. Kaoru is the last to arrive to class, and he frowns at the sight, picking up the flower like it burned him.

“Did one of you put this here?” he inquires, loud enough that the whole class can hear. That draws everyone’s attention, but no one admits to doing it, and furthermore, everyone says it was already there when they came in.

Nobody can remember who actually came in first, so there’s no luck with that.

 

Two were a strange coincidence, three is a pattern. The third rose waits for him in the marine bio club room, already in a vase, and there’s no mistaking about the intended receiver, not when under it lies a small piece of cardboard with _Kaoru_ written on it in eloquent handwriting.

It goes so nicely with the blue glow of the club, Kaoru decides to leave it there. The idea works better in theory than in practise, because it turns out Kanata doesn’t know how to care for plants, and the rose gets over-watered in less than three days.

Still, it did look nice.

 

The fourth rose is pink.

It _floats_ in through an open window, and the small note attached says _Kaoru_. Izumi, sitting closest to the window, reads it out loud, and Kaoru makes the mistake of blushing — and if the class was only mildly interested the last time Kaoru got a rose, now everyone wants in on his case.

“It’s nothing”, Kaoru hisses, but having lost his composure, he’s not a very good liar, and naturally, everyone can see it’s _not_ nothing.

Kaoru snatches the rose away from Izumi’s hands when Keito suggests comparing the handwriting to the student records.

 

The problem is, whoever keeps sending Kaoru these roses, is _persistent_. Every few days, he gets another, and until what he counts to be the eleventh, they’re always pink.

The twelfth is a darker shade, handed to him before practise by Rei, who doesn’t even try to conceal a wry smile.

”Roses, huh?”

”I’m assuming that means they’re not from you”, Kaoru reaches out to take the rose, but Rei pulls his hand back. ”Who gave it to you, anyway?”

”I have no idea”, Rei shakes his head regretfully. ”He was wearing a mask, you see.”

”Surely a _mask_ wouldn’t stop you from noticing”, Kaoru sighs. ”But a guy, huh?”

He does have a sneaking suspicion about this, but it’s much nicer to play dumb and pretend he _doesn’t_ know – both to keep Rei from knowing he knows, and to give himself some peace of mind.

”Mm… I suppose. Say, this looks a bit darker than the one I saw you carrying the other week.”

Now, finally, Rei actually lets him have the rose, and Kaoru immediately observes it closer.

”Maybe? Does that matter?”

”Maybe not, as long as they’re not red. That’s for _love,_ you know.”

”But”, Kaoru stares at the dark pink rose in his hand, ”he doesn’t even _know_ me.”

”How do you know? _You_ don’t even know who it is.”

Kaoru can’t rebuke that.

 

”Roses.”

”I have _eyes,_ Sena-kun.”

”Look, I’m just saying.” Izumi has that terribly knowing look on his face that makes Kaoru want to leave the room immediately rather than later. ”What do we know about this guy, anyway?”

”Hey, not necessarily a guy. Girls _do_ like me.”

”You’re a terrible liar”, Izumi squints. ”What else? He wore a mask?”

”I told that to Morisawa-kun in confidence”, Kaoru gasps, scandalised.

”Yeah, well, he’s even worse at lying than you”, Izumi taps his desk with the pen he’s holding. ”It didn’t take much to squeeze the information out of him.”

”Why do you get so much joy from tormenting me?” Kaoru sighs.

”You’ve got it backwards. I’m _helping_ you, Kaocchi.”

”Sure, helping.”

”Now, see here. A mask and a dozen roses. You _really_ haven’t figured it out yourself?”

”If you are suggesting that the person sending me roses is – that guy – no, look, I wouldn’t be his type.”

”Is _that_ your issue? How do you even know what kind of guys he likes?”

”I don’t”, Kaoru grumbles. ”But, maybe – interesting? Pretty?”

Izumi shoots him an exasperated look, and Kaoru shrugs in response. It’s just facts, that a guy like him wouldn’t catch the eye of one Wataru Hibiki. He’s the type who hangs out with the likes of Rei and Kanata, after all.

Both of whom are Kaoru’s friends, he thinks fleetingly, but that train of thought is dangerous, because it would imply Wataru could and _would_ be interested in him.

And that – makes him feel far too jittery for his own good, so it’s better to just ignore that possibility.

”Okay”, Izumi sighs, ”let’s count that guy out. Who else could it be?”

Kaoru doesn’t have the time to answer, before something flutters in through the window and straight to his desk. That something has wings and feathers and a deep pink rose curled under its toes, offered towards Kaoru.

Izumi’s mouth is open, and he’s about to say _something_ awful about being right, so Kaoru grits his teeth and carefully scoops the dove in his hands. It’s docile, and even chirps happily at being picked up – is it mocking him?

”Don’t say a word.” Kaoru warns, standing up. ”And _please_ wait at least ten minutes before telling everyone you know.”

”I can always try”, Izumi promises, eyes keen on the rather content-looking dove. ”Have fun.”

Kaoru refuses to reply to that.

 

 

Kaoru’s plans included walking to the theatre club room to demand an explanation to all of this, but he doesn’t get there before he runs into – well, not exactly _trouble_ , but _something_.

The only warning he gets is a bunch of rose petals, scattered on the floor where he needs to walk. He _knows_ something bad will follow, but steps on them anyway.

The bang he hears isn’t nearly as startling as the sudden influx of rose petals, falling on him from the ceiling. He stands there for what _feels_ like an eternity, until the petal rain slows down and he can actually see.

Ah. And there he is. Taking a deep bow, wearing the mask and all, the source of this whole mess.

”My, my, looks like the scent of the roses lured in a wild fox. Most curious, that is…!”

”I – I’m not–? What? Wait –” Kaoru only manages to stutter, but the smile underneath the mask doesn’t falter.

”Why, and a blushing fox, at that! I’m truly lucky…”

”I’m not –” Kaoru begins, but, well, soon realises Wataru is right. ”I – I was on my way to…” he holds out the dove, a bit helplessly. ”I thought you might want this back?”

”Jeanne”, Wataru’s voice shifts immediately into a softer, cooing tone. ”Such a sweetheart, is she not? And so eager to help, after there had been no response from you…”

”Now wait just a moment”, Kaoru shakes his head. ”Response to what? The roses?”

”Kaoru-kun”, Wataru almost _huffs,_ ”surely, you have realised by now.”

Kaoru looks at the bird in his hands – Jeanne, apparently – and at the rose petals scattered around his feet in masses.

”I, uh… thanks for the roses? They were really pretty.”

”Kaoru-kun”, Wataru repeats, deflating visibly. ”If my method of courting wasn’t to your liking, please just tell me so.”

”Your…” Kaoru’s eyes widen. ” _Courting?_ You’ve been _flirting_ with me?”

”Hm, I suppose you could call it that!” Wataru nods, lifting his eyes from the ground.

”You – there are _much_ better ways to go about it than, than leaving anonymous roses!”

”Hm”, Wataru leans closer, eyes suddenly sharp and observant. ”And how would _you_ go about it?”

For some unknown reason, Kaoru feels like he’s walking into yet another trap, but he says the words anyway.

”Well, I’d ask them out properly. If via letter, I’d _sign_ it.” A pointed look towards Wataru, but there’s no hint of accusation, and Wataru breaks into a bright laughter. ”But in person would be the best.

”Right! Let’s do this your way, then.” Wataru bows, like in the beginning, except this time he also takes Kaoru’s hand into his. Jeanne flutters away, perching on Wataru’s shoulder. She looks at Kaoru, head tilted, and Kaoru’s nervousness increases by tenfold. ”Kaoru-kun, would you do me the honour of going on a date with me?”

The words are followed by a kiss to the back of Kaoru’s hand, and now even Kaoru would admit he’s blushing.

”Oh”, Kaoru blinks. He probably _should_ have seen this coming. ”Yeah?”

”You will?” Wataru lifts his head. ”Really? Really-really?”

”I-I said yes”, Kaoru huffs, averting his gaze. ”Next time, just give me the roses yourself. And would you take the mask off?”

”There has to be a _bit_ of a mystery. What’s wrong with the mask?”

”It… hides your pretty face”, Kaoru mutters. ”You know?”

For just a moment, Wataru is silent, but when he tugs at Kaoru’s hand, his smile rivals the sun.

”Come along, then! You promised me a date.”

”Now?” Kaoru gasps. ”Right now?”

”Is there a better time than the present?”

Kaoru finds himself with no answer, and together, they slip over the hundreds of rose petals lying on the floor.

”Someone will take care of them”, Wataru promises, taking off his mask in one swift motion. ”They pay extra for cleaning flower petals.”

Somehow, that doesn’t surprise Kaoru.


End file.
